Staff Report / March 9, 2026
Finger Lakes Community College is expanding access to workforce training by bringing welding instruction directly to schools, workplaces, and community locations using portable simulation technology.
The college recently introduced a mobile welding training program built around the Miller AugmentedArc simulator, a system that uses augmented reality to teach welding techniques without the sparks, heat, or molten metal associated with traditional welding. Students wear a welding helmet connected to a computer and use a torch-like tool that simulates real welding tasks while providing instant feedback on their technique.
Over the past three months, the program has already produced several small groups of trained beginners across the region. Classes have included six students from Victor High School, five adults in Newark, and six workers at a manufacturing plant in Penn Yan.
The portable equipment allows instructors to set up training sessions quickly in a variety of locations. Welding instructor Jahaan Williams transports the simulator in two large cases and can assemble the system in minutes, making it possible to offer instruction in places that previously could not support welding classes due to the cost and logistics of traditional equipment.
The technology is helping address a workforce challenge in the Finger Lakes region. Welding jobs are in demand, but training opportunities are often limited by distance and equipment costs. By taking the training on the road, FLCC can reach students and employees where they live and work.
Students typically train on the simulator for about 10 weeks in a 12-week program. The final two weeks are spent working with real welding equipment in a shop environment to apply the skills they have developed during the virtual training.
The program has already produced positive outcomes. A class of adults that completed training in Newark saw four participants receive job offers within a week of finishing the course.
Officials say the flexible format allows companies to train workers without requiring them to leave the workplace and helps students gain valuable technical skills for a field where wages in New York can range from about $24 to $31 per hour.
College leaders believe the portable welding program will continue expanding as demand grows, providing new opportunities for both students and employers across the region.
